Loochoo nu Kwa Podcast Eric

The University of Hawaiʻi, Hilo campus has been designated as the National Indigenous Language Center, and offers a graduate program in Indigenous Language Revitalization and Education through Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani, the Hawaiian Language College.  Koutaro Yūji is the first student from Uchinā to receive his MA degree in the program and is continuing his studies to receive his PhD for Indigenous language revitalization and education.  Ka Haka ʻUla has become and essential resource for Indigenous language revitalization, as they share, connect and support many Indigenous communities form around the globe.  It has put Hawaiʻi on the map as the center for language revitalization work.  In this podcast, we talk with Koutaro about his experience and his continuing journey for renormalizing Uchināguchi.  

How do we open our eyes to be more connected to identity and to be able to take the responsibility to keep the connection to our ancestors, land, culture and language.  Sometimes it takes going away from the ancestral land to look from the outside.  Rinna is a student of Okinawa Christian University who is currently studying in Honolulu.  She hopes to deepen her understanding of Okinawa and help encourage others to decolonize and become empowered to reclaim true Ryūkyūan identity.

In many places, especially in Indigenous communities, Columbus Day or Discovererʻs Day is being replaced with Indigenous Peoplesʻ Day.  If we look at the background of "Columbus Day" or "Discovererʻs Day", if we really know and understand our histories, we can see that the observance is really a colonial erasure of Indigenous people, history and knowledge.  Letʻs look at who are the real discoverers as we look at who we are as Indigenous people.

Lots of discussion lately on social media on the topic of "Shimanchu".  We need to look at our identity and in how it is connected to our ancestral world view as indigenous people of Loochoo.  Our ancestors, like other indigenous people, didnʻt have a word for being indigenous because they understood who they were and didnt have people question where they came from.  When we begin to discuss and look at our true origins and what is connecte that makes us who we are we can revitalize our cultural identity with that connection to our ancestors and spiritual relationship tht is essential to who we are as indigenous children of Loochoo.

The youth riots in Okinawa on Thursday night sparked immediate condemnation from local communities and racial and hate speeches from mainland Japanese towards the youths who participated in the rare type of uprising.  For the country of Japan as a whole, this incident is almost unheard of, which made it hit national news in Japan.   While Japanese newspapers filled headlines with subtle accusations and stories lacking facts, Okinawa media have been quick to question the police authorities who have not been releasing information about the incident or the cause.
As continued subjugation of Loochoo/Okinawa continues, so does the drop out rates, less than standard educational scores, increased single parent families, increase in local crime, economy that is forced to be dependent on hosting US and Japanese military. and democratic voice being stifled by the Japanese governments heavy hand for itʻs colonial agendas.
This discussion looks at Thursdays incident with a lens that sees underlying disparities that have built up throughout Okinawaʻs history from the illegal annexation and overthrow of 1879, to the banning of local languages, assimilation policies, WWII and American occupation, and the "reversion" back to Japanese control.  These connect to the similarities of other colonized indigenous communities as we see and realize parallels in which we can also find strength and empowerment when we support each other, and in Okinawaʻs situation, help to open their eyes and minds to looking at the underlying problems which have festered and led to this kind of incident.......not to be condemned, but to begin asking questions, assessing, and finding ways to face the problems instead of ignoring or forcing handicaps to be in line with the norm.  This is a very difficult discussion, but I believe itʻs one that needs to be continued.  
Ippee Nifeedeebiru for listening.

In this episode I talk with Ryan Ueunten whose journey to connect and take on the responsibility to help take care of the place he lives in while supporting and honoring the host people and culture of Hawaiʻi.  Ryan exemplifies the Okinawan values of our ancestors through his work and continued learning.